Harley Flanagan, former bassist for the Cro-Mags, has gone on the record to clear his name in the stabbing incident at the first CBGB festival in New York.
Initial reports said that Flanagan showed up at Webster Hall before the show was to start and stabbed current Cro-Mags members William Berario and Michael “The Gook” Couls. He was charged with two counts of second degree assault and weapons charges.
Flanagan spoke with New York Natives, telling them that he went to Webster Hall that night with the intention of mending his long-time feud with the current band members. He says that he was invited backstage and was ambushed by a group of men.
When I saw that door get pulled shut I was literally fighting for my life. I was afraid these guys were going to kick me half to death, roll me down the back steps and that no one would see it... and there would be no witnesses and that would be that....and all I could think about was getting home safe to my kids...I wanted to save my life, to protect myself and these guys were trying to do me in.
... I was getting the shit beat out of me. It was like an old fashion biker beat down, like BA BABABABABA BA And at that point everybody started screaming and I saw the door of the dressing room open and I started screaming security, security and I saw somebody pull the door shut to keep security out. And in my mind I thought to myself, "fuck, these dudes, their intention is to fuck me up, they don't want no one to see it they're trying to beat the shit out of me...SO what I did was defend my life...
Flanagan was pulled out of the room and into the balcony area and was eventually handcuffed by the police. Harley also suffered a wound to his leg that required thirty stitches.
Flanagan talks more about the scuffle and his feelings on the band at New York Natives.
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